Monty interacting with his adoring fans!


Day 1 is underway

It was an experience that is hard to describe unless you have been. From sitting meekly in our (excellent) seats on the morning of the first day and taking photos of the players warming up, we experienced the excitement of our first sighting of the stars of the show – Freddie, KP, Monty, Warney, McGrath, Ponting and Gilly to name a few. We phoned and texted people back in England to say where we were sat in the (vain) hope that they would see us (my description of me wearing an England shirt and red cap was like spotting a black and white penguin in Antarctica). Then the game began and I was captivated. Until the Ashes in England in 2005 I had never watched a ball being bowled, I then learnt about the game and the rules and have being the biggest fan ever since. To be there in person is so much better too as you are much closer than you expect, and when McGrath or Panesar came to field near us, it was fantastic – and they all really worked the crown, particularly Monty who would clap and gesture for the Barmy Army to make more noise. You really get to see the personalities of the players.